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Church needs better evolution education, says bishops' official
Catholic News Service ^ | 2-1-2005

Posted on 02/07/2005 7:30:07 AM PST by mike182d

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To: GarySpFc
Firstly, I should have stated we speak of the "four points of the compass," and you were perfectly aware that is what I meant.

You should have but we know how the creationists sort of "modify" everything and anything to try to make the case, including the posts of others.

301 posted on 02/07/2005 6:02:33 PM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: GarySpFc
Secondly, the Bible does not speak of the earth being fixed in space.

Darn. If you hadn't just put corners on the compass I would attribute that statement to ignorance.

1 Chronicles 16:30: “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable.”

Psalm 93:1: “Thou hast fixed the earth immovable and firm ...”

Psalm 96:10: “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable ...”

Psalm 104:5: “Thou didst fix the earth on its foundation so that it never can be shaken.”

Isaiah 45:18: “...who made the earth and fashioned it, and himself fixed it fast...”

302 posted on 02/07/2005 6:13:56 PM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: GarySpFc
Your accusations are noted, but I believe unfounded since I have seen none.

Hang around and you will.

303 posted on 02/07/2005 6:15:16 PM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: GarySpFc
Your accusations are noted, but I believe unfounded since I have seen none.

I bet you have never seen a neutron but that does not make them unfounded.

304 posted on 02/07/2005 6:17:47 PM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: jwalsh07

He really blew it here.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1337765/posts?page=302#302


305 posted on 02/07/2005 6:19:55 PM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: WildTurkey
You should have but we know how the creationists sort of "modify" everything and anything to try to make the case, including the posts of others.

Another accusation without evidence.
306 posted on 02/07/2005 6:22:07 PM PST by GarySpFc (Sneakypete, De Oppresso Liber)
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To: WildTurkey
Secondly, the Bible does not speak of the earth being fixed in space.
Darn. If you hadn't just put corners on the compass I would attribute that statement to ignorance.

1 Chronicles 16:30: “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable.”


Psalm 93:1: “Thou hast fixed the earth immovable and firm ...”

Psalm 96:10: “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable ...”

Psalm 104:5: “Thou didst fix the earth on its foundation so that it never can be shaken.”

Isaiah 45:18: “...who made the earth and fashioned it, and himself fixed it fast...”


I see no contradiction. Does the original language use the word for earth or world? Does the Bible say the world is fixed, fixed in space, or established? To be correct the Hebrew word is world, and it has a wider application than earth, and you will find the majority of Bibles use it. Furthermore, in the Chronicles passage the author uses both words, which proves he was seeking the wider application. The application being, God is soverign and his rule over the world or earth if you prefer is fixed. "Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth’s peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved." I chronicles 16:30 The amplified Bible


307 posted on 02/07/2005 7:44:14 PM PST by GarySpFc (Sneakypete, De Oppresso Liber)
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Comment #308 Removed by Moderator

To: mikeus_maximus
Those arguments aren't at all compelling and didn't address any of my questions. From the essay:

What Is “Scripture”?

“Scripture” renders the original word graphe, found about 51 times in the Greek New Testament. The term always refers to a sacred writing. Most commonly it denotes the holy writings of the Old Testament, but the absence of a Greek article in conjunction with graphe in this passage “leaves room for other writings that have a right to be called divinely inspired Scriptures” (Hiebert, p. 100). Without question, the term “scripture” embraces both Old and New Testaments. See 1 Timothy 5:18 and in 2 Peter 3:16 where the term is used comprehensively of both Testaments.

This is question begging.

Who decided which New Testament writings would constitute "holy writings," or the New Testament? The New Testament?

Who decided that a New Testament should be written? There is no mention in the New Testament of Jesus commanding the writing of the New Testament.

The canon of the New Testament was much in dispute in the early Church (not just the OT canon but also the NT canon) and wasn't definitively settled until several church councils around the year 400 A.D.

The Church ("the pillar and foundation of truth") decided that some Apostolic writings were divinely inspired and separated these from other spurious writings.

309 posted on 02/08/2005 4:58:19 AM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
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To: Petronski; fortunecookie

Did you guys catch this? I am going to be a Catholic homeschooling mom. Too much godless evolution creeping into the Church IMHO.


310 posted on 02/08/2005 5:02:13 AM PST by cyborg (Department of Homelife Security threat level is GREEN.)
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To: GarySpFc
This was the passage I was thinking of, however, it seems this translation is a little ambiguous. In fact, after looking into it, it means that he brought out the people to work with saws and axes. So I was in error when I said that.

2 Samuel 12:31
He also brought out the people who were in it, and set them under saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

JM
311 posted on 02/08/2005 5:26:49 AM PST by JohnnyM
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To: Aquinasfan
Who decided which New Testament writings would constitute "holy writings," or the New Testament? The New Testament?
Who decided that a New Testament should be written? There is no mention in the New Testament of Jesus commanding the writing of the New Testament.
The canon of the New Testament was much in dispute in the early Church (not just the OT canon but also the NT canon) and wasn't definitively settled until several church councils around the year 400 A.D.
The Church ("the pillar and foundation of truth") decided that some Apostolic writings were divinely inspired and separated these from other spurious writings.


Of course the Protestants dispute the RCC view. The RCC and Protestant views of what determines canonicity can be contrasted as follows.

RCC View of Canon
Church Determines Canon.
Church Is Mother of Canon.
Church Is Magistrate of Canon.
Church Regulates Canon.
Church Is Judge of Canon.
Church Is Master of Canon.

Protestant View of Canon
Church Discovers Canon.
Church Is Child of Canon.
Church Is Minister of Canon.
Church Recognizes Canon.
Church Is Witness of Canon.
Church Is Servant of Canon.

That is all I have time to post at this time. Later this evening I will check in to post more.
312 posted on 02/08/2005 6:20:36 AM PST by GarySpFc (Sneakypete, De Oppresso Liber)
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To: GarySpFc

Are you sayin the Bible is in error?


313 posted on 02/08/2005 6:27:07 AM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: tjwmason
However, I think it perfectly possible that God used a series of mutations to move from simple creatures to more complex ones, and finally to the human body (which He infused with a soul).

Absolutely. Far be it from me to decide how God is to create. But that's not really the problem with evolution as a theory.

Either its occurance is a product of random mutations or it is caused by God. You cannot believe in the God of classical theism and believe that evolution is a "random" unguided process resulting from mutations because to be random is just the absence of sufficient predictability. You cannot believe in an omnipotent, omniscient creator-God that cannot predict the progress of His own creation.

The only alternative for a Theist is to believe that perceived evolution is an intentional guided process. But guided by whom? God of course. Well, if God is the cause of evolution, to what degree can you understand the process without supposing to understand the will of God? Furthermore, as all scientific theories are dependent upon future predictability in order to be viable, on what grounds can you make predictions about future creations of God?

Just a few thoughts. You are right that the two ideas are not mutually exclusive, but when used as a scientific theory in the context of Theism, there are a few problems.
314 posted on 02/08/2005 6:27:13 AM PST by mike182d
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To: Aquinasfan

Read again. To begin with, Catholic apologists like to make the assumption that "scripture" refers only to the OT. They use that assumption as a funnel to pout all kinds of things into God's word, including many contradictory things.

Yet Peter referred to Paul's writings as "scripture."

There is no question to the serious Bible student that the NT writings were inspired. The passage we're talking about in Timothy in fact says that all scripture is "Theopneustos" literally, "God-breathed."

It's evident whether something was "God-breathed" or not. The 1st century church determined the veracity of the word as confirmed by "miracles, signs and wonders" of those who espoused teachings. Compare and contrast that to the numerous "revelations" of the CC over the subsequent centuries. Or to Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Helen G. White, Judge Rutherford....

A point I like to make when I talk to leater revelationists, including Mormons or JV's or Catholics, is "which came first, your church's writings, or the Bible?"
Inevitably, they answer the Bible. Then the real question is, "Did the Bible clearly anticipate or allow for a later revelation/ or did the inspired writers rather claim that it contained "ALL things leading to life and godliness?" Did it or did it not expressly condemn those who would add to or take away from what was written? Did Paul warn aginst those who would come teaching a different message than what he and the others delivered? Did the apostles anticiptate a succession of apostles, or rather did the office of apostle pass, and with it the marks of divine authority: eye-witnesses of Christ, and the ability to bestow miraculous abilities in Christians by laying on of hands? Finally, as to the miraculous gifts of revelation and interpretation, did Paul say or not say that "for now we prophesy in part, but when that which is complete is come, that which is incomplete will pass away"-- and in context is it not evident he was talking about the end of divine revelation when it was all written down ("I write these things so that you can have THE SAME understanding that I have")?

Stop listening to your clergy and read for yourself.


315 posted on 02/08/2005 6:50:43 AM PST by mikeus_maximus
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To: WildTurkey
Are you sayin the Bible is in error?

I am saying nothing of the sort. What I have been saying all along is that you need to take a course in Biblical exegesis so you will know what you are discussing. However, that would conflict with your hyper-skepticism and you could never do that.
316 posted on 02/08/2005 7:26:57 AM PST by GarySpFc (Sneakypete, De Oppresso Liber)
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To: GarySpFc
I am saying nothing of the sort. What I have been saying all along is that you need to take a course in Biblical exegesis so you will know what you are discussing. However, that would conflict with your hyper-skepticism and you could never do that.

hmmmmmm

What I have been saying all along is that you need to take courses in Biblical exegesis science so you will know what you are discussing. However, that would conflict with your hyper-skepticism and you could never do that.

317 posted on 02/08/2005 7:30:47 AM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: mikeus_maximus
Yet Peter referred to Paul's writings as "scripture."

Which verse are you referring to?

And what about Paul's admonision to "stand firm and hold to the teachings [ Or traditions] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."

And what about the fact that the Bible calls the Church "the pillar and foundation of truth"? (1 Tim 3:15)

There is no question to the serious Bible student that the NT writings were inspired.

There was in the early church. But I guess serious Bible students know better than the Church Fathers.

The passage we're talking about in Timothy in fact says that all scripture is "Theopneustos" literally, "God-breathed."

Again, this begs the question of what books are Scriptural. Since the canon of the New Testament was not defined at this time (and parts weren't even yet written!), Paul could not have possibly been referring to the New Testament as we know it today. Moreover, Jesus and the Apostles cite the Septuagint version of the OT 200 times out of 300 times in the NT, and the Septuagint contains the Deuterocanonical books of scripture.

It's evident whether something was "God-breathed" or not. The 1st century church determined the veracity of the word as confirmed by "miracles, signs and wonders" of those who espoused teachings. Compare and contrast that to the numerous "revelations" of the CC over the subsequent centuries. Or to Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Helen G. White, Judge Rutherford....

Nevertheless, many NT books were in dispute. St. Jerome wasn't the only one who wanted to toss out Revelation. Luther did too. Luther also wanted to dump the book of James, for obvious reasons.

A point I like to make when I talk to leater revelationists, including Mormons or JV's or Catholics, is "which came first, your church's writings, or the Bible?" Inevitably, they answer the Bible.

Uh, Catholics would answer the Church.

Then the real question is, "Did the Bible clearly anticipate or allow for a later revelation/ or did the inspired writers rather claim that it contained "ALL things leading to life and godliness?"

Uh, no. The real question is, where did the Bible come from? The answer is Christ's Church. The New Testament didn't drop down from Heaven at Pentecost. Decades after Jesus' death His Apostles realized that the Second Coming might not come within their lifetimes. Some of them determined to record the events of his life based on their memories and the memories of others (oral tradition). Over a four hundred year period the Church separated the truly inspired writings from other writings and determined the canon of the New Testament.

Did it or did it not expressly condemn those who would add to or take away from what was written?

Was John referring to the book he was writing in the year 100 A.D.? Or was John referring to the New Testament that did not yet exist, and which would not exist for another 300 years?

Did Paul warn aginst those who would come teaching a different message than what he and the others delivered?

Yes. And did he not also command adherence to teachings passed on by mouth? Or should we just ignore that part?

Did the apostles anticiptate a succession of apostles, or rather did the office of apostle pass,

Let's see what Scripture says.

Acts 1:15-26

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus– he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, “ ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’and, “ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Who determined the method for choosing Judas' successor? Peter. Who interprets the OT passage authoritatively? Peter. What does the OT passage speak of? An office. (In the King James version the word is "bishopric.") What is essential to an office? Succession.

and with it the marks of divine authority: eye-witnesses of Christ,

This distinguishes Apostleship. The bishops are successors to the Apostles, but not Apostles.

and the ability to bestow miraculous abilities in Christians by laying on of hands?

This is the way the office of the priesthood is still transferred.

Finally, as to the miraculous gifts of revelation and interpretation, did Paul say or not say that "for now we prophesy in part, but when that which is complete is come, that which is incomplete will pass away"-- and in context is it not evident he was talking about the end of divine revelation when it was all written down ("I write these things so that you can have THE SAME understanding that I have")?

Was Paul referring to the book of Revelation that was written decades later, in the year 100 A.D.?

Stop listening to your clergy and read for yourself.

That doesn't sound Scriptural. Jesus said this:

Matthew 18:17

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Does Jesus say this about the New Testament? No, because it didn't exist at the time. Did He order the writing of the NT? It's not mentioned in the NT. He says this about His Church.

Stop listening to Luther's false (and non-Biblical) doctrine of "the Bible alone."

The Canon of the New Testament

A. THE FORMATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON (A.D. 100-220)

The idea of a complete and clear-cut canon of the New Testament existing from the beginning, that is from Apostolic times, has no foundation in history. The Canon of the New Testament, like that of the Old, is the result of a development, of a process at once stimulated by disputes with doubters, both within and without the Church, and retarded by certain obscurities and natural hesitations, and which did not reach its final term until the dogmatic definition of the Tridentine Council.

1. The witness of the New Testament to itself: The first collections

Those writings which possessed the unmistakable stamp and guarantee of Apostolic origin must from the very first have been specially prized and venerated, and their copies eagerly sought by local Churches and individual Christians of means, in preference to the narratives and Logia, or Sayings of Christ, coming from less authorized sources. Already in the New Testament itself there is some evidence of a certain diffusion of canonical books: II Peter, iii, 15, 16, supposes its readers to be acquainted with some of St. Paul's Epistles; St. John's Gospel implicitly presupposes the existence of the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). There are no indications in the New Testament of a systematic plan for the distribution of the Apostolic compositions, any more than there is of a definite new Canon bequeathed by the Apostles to the Church, or of a strong self-witness to Divine inspiration. Nearly all the New Testament writings were evoked by particular occasions, or addressed to particular destinations. But we may well presume that each of the leading Churches--Antioch, Thessalonica, Alexandria, Corinth, Rome--sought by exchanging with other Christian communities to add to its special treasure, and have publicly read in its religious assemblies all Apostolic writings which came under its knowledge. It was doubtless in this way that the collections grew, and reached completeness within certain limits, but a considerable number of years must have elapsed (and that counting from the composition of the latest book) before all the widely separated Churches of early Christendom possessed the new sacred literature in full. And this want of an organized distribution, secondarily to the absence of an early fixation of the Canon, left room for variations and doubts which lasted far into the centuries. But evidence will presently be given that from days touching on those of the last Apostles there were two well defined bodies of sacred writings of the New Testament, which constituted the firm, irreducible, universal minimum, and the nucleus of its complete Canon: these were the Four Gospels, as the Church now has them, and thirteen Epistles of St. Paul--the Evangelium and the Apostolicum.


318 posted on 02/08/2005 9:10:39 AM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
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To: Aquinasfan

*high five* :-)


319 posted on 02/08/2005 12:49:27 PM PST by mike182d
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